One added benefit of being home has been the enjoyment of an occasional cocktail. Our favorite is the refreshing Moscow Mule, perfect for our warm California spring evenings. I was introduced to the refreshing cocktail a few years back when my husband and I were dating and he ordered it at dinner, since then it has become our favorite go-to cocktail, plus it’s so easy to make.
This classic drink has an interesting history, dating back to the golden age of Hollywood when it was a staple amongst Hollywood’s elite. In a 2007 Wall Street Journal article, author Eric Felten suggests that cocktail’s inventor was Wes Price, the head bartender at Hollywood’s Cock ‘n’ Bull Restaurant, and was created out of a need to clear the restaurant cellar of its unsold inventory, which included Smirnoff’s vodka and homemade ginger beer. The first cocktail Price mixed he served to film’s notorious tough-guy, Oscar-winning actor Broderick Crawford, and thus the Moscow Mule was born. Later Jack Morgan, owner of the Cock ‘n’ Bull restaurant, wanting to capitalize on this new drink, purchased a few thousand handmade copper mugs from a Russian peddler, in the hope that using the mugs would make the new cocktail stand out. To this day, Moscow Mules remain among the most popular drinks in the United States and are still served in a classic chilled, copper mug although, if you don’t have one of those you can serve the drink in a highball glass.
Makes 1 Cocktail
Ingredients:
2 Ounces Vodka
½ Ounce Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
5 Ounces Ginger Beer (I like Bundaberg brand)
Mint and slices of Lime for Garnish
Directions:
1. Fill a copper mug or highball glass with ice.
2. Pour in vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer.
3. Stir to combine all ingredients.
4. Add fresh mint sprigs and lime slices as a garnish and to give a little hint of mint flavor.
I hope you enjoy this refreshing cocktail. I have found it pairs nicely with a good book on the patio, perfect for unwinding at the end of the day. What is your favorite cocktail for a spring evening? I would love to know in the comments below.
